Akhil Bhartiya Yoga Sansthan is an phlanthropic organisation based in ghaziabad, (near new delhi) india.

my email: neeraj_saxena1962@yahoo.com
mobile +91-9871057114
neeraj saxena

Nauli is one of the shat karmas, used for purification. Traditionally it is done in the morning before eating. In APMB (see references below), it is recommended to wait 5-6 hours after eating before nauli.

These factors present special problems for the teacher:

(1). It is not normally done in an asana session. This (surprisingly) need not be a problem, because as I suggest later, it really needs to be worked on at home by the student.

(2). The gap after eating. This affects when nauli can be done in a class. For example, a class starting at 10 a.m gives problems. (In any case, it is recommended that 3 hours should be left before asanas, so 10 a.m. is not a great time for any class!). In my experience, I think that a moderate nauli can be done safely after 4 hours, which makes it safe for doing towards the end of many classes.

Problem (2) is the main one. In some classes it is safe, and in others it is not. This is a classic case for using a handout or DVD at home.

However, nauli is not like asanas, where alignment problems are clearly visible. Learning it is rather like learning to waggle your ears. It involves finding muscles that you do not normally control. (I can’t waggle my ears, but apparently, the trick is to watch yourself in a mirror, to see what works. This is known as feedback.)
The internal nature of nauli, together with the need for feedback, means that it is unlikely to be learnt in a class, so what can the teacher do?

The teacher can:

• Demonstrate it.

• Provide a handout, and explain it.

• Ask students to learn the stance and the breathing.

• Get students to have a short attempt, if the time after eating allows.

• Motivate students to learn at home. Nauli is more suited to an advanced class, where there may be more motivation.

Nauli – The Embarrassment Problem
———————————

Here is another reason for the teacher to emphasize home learning. Though the teacher might demonstrate by rolling up their top, many students would not wish to do this, and this view should be respected.

The teacher should not tell the class to do this. Though at home it is needed in the learning phase.

We now move to the actual learning.

Uddiyana – The First Step
————————-

Uddiyana should be taught first, as all the texts (APMB etc) suggest.

The reason is that the diaphragm needs to be lifted in and up in nauli as well as uddiyana, so that the central abdominal muscles (rectus abdominus ) become prominent.

I recommend APMB’s approach of working up to 10 repetitions of uddiyana, holding on an exhale for several seconds.

Am I Doing It Right? Feedback!
——————————–

As mentioned above, feedback is important for uddiyana and nauli.

The best way is to do it in front of a mirror at home. It is a problem of finding the right muscles to isolate. Once it has been learnt, it will never be forgotten.

Basic Nauli
———–

Assuming that uddiyana is mastered, here is how to do nauli. The instructions are readily available elsewhere, but for completeness, I provide my own version.

1. Stand in mountain pose, normalising the breathing.

2. Lean forwards, bending knees, placing the hands on the thighs, with fingers pointing inwards. The elbows point outwards. Exhale completely through the mouth.

3. Holding the exhale, do uddiyana, but also press down firmly with the hands, so that the central muscles stand out. Hold for around 5 seconds, then relax, slowly inhaling.

4. Let the breath return to normal, and repeat 5 times.

Obviously, step 3 is the difficult part. The isolation can be easier to find if the hands are placed near the knees, so that the position is more stooped.

As soon as the correct action has been found, then the stance can be made more vertical.

From there, the student should work towards a more erect stance (though the knees are still bent). The ribcage lifts, allowing a deeper massage in my experience.

Progressing
———–

Once the student can do a firm isolation of the central muscles, then the main hurdle is over. This might seem an overstatement, because the texts describe these versions of nauli: madhyana, vama, dakshina, and lauliki) These terms mean: central, left, right, rolling.

To do left nauli, we do the central one as normal, then we increase the pressure on the left thigh, whilst relaxing somewhat the pressure on the right thigh. One can also lean slightly to the left in the early stages. These movements cause the left muscles to stay firm, and the right ones to relax. The right-sided version is done in a similar way.

The next step is rotation. This is not just a matter of alternating left – right – left – right etc. From personal experience, it involves a left isolation, a right isolation, then a brief phase with no side isolated. Then, another left – right movement is performed. This produces a rotational movement which as a totally different feel from a simple left-right alternation. It also provides a unique massage for the colon, as it gives a wave-like pressure in the same direction, rather than reversing direction. There is no hard evidence on this, but I suspect that this form of massage is superior.

Learning the rotation does not need a mirror, but it does require experimentation. Again, it is an unmistakable sensation.

Learning Schedule
—————–

Here is my proposed schedule.

Learn uddiyana. As in all of this, the learning time will vary between students. Some will not wish to learn it, some will learn it quickly, and some slowly. The teacher can demonstrate in the class, and provide instructions, warnings, and a handout.

Learn central nauli. Work up to 5 rounds, holding the contraction for the out-breath, between 5-10 seconds. Again, the teacher demonstrates and provides instructions. Once this has been accomplished, the main learning is over.

Left-right, and rotations. The teacher can demonstrate, but the onus is on the student and home experimentation

In general, I recommend the moderate approach of APMB, rather than other more intense approaches. Textbooks are discussed below.

Benefits
——–

Most yoga texts emphasise the massaging benefits. For example, APMB mentions massaging of muscles, intestines, reproductive, excretory organs. It also states that it is beneficial for constipation, flatulence etc.

However, there are also non-physical benefits. APMB mentions its purification of manipura chakra. Theos Bernard, in ‘Hatha Yoga – The Report of a Personal Experience’ – strongly based on traditional yoga texts – emphasises the role of nauli in the purification of the nadis as a requirement for pranayama practices.

Problems
——–

There is the drawback of leaving a long gap after eating. Early morning is best.

There are contra-indications. It should not be done in situations of heart disease, hernia, hernia, peptic ulcer.

In ‘The Complete Illustrated Book Of Hatha Yoga’, Swami Vishnu Devananda (a disciple of Swami Sivananda) states that those with a lot of excess weight round the belly will not be able to do it, but that they should do uddiyana. He also makes an often-ignored point: that those with very tight, tense abdominal muscles will also have great difficulty. (Yoga does not work towards stiff and inflexible muscles).

Constipation, bloating. This is not mentioned in any books, but I feel that I need to recount my personal experience. Of course, nauli is recommended in cases of constipation, but in fact it is uncomfortable and difficult to do if one actually has constipation. My evaluation is that it should actually be avoided in this situation. Self-massage can be performed instead. However, it is excellent at preventing constipation – so do it before you are affected, not after!

Literature etc
————–

Here I evaluate available material, aimed at the teacher.

‘Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha’ (Satyananda) provides detailed steps, in a safe way.

‘The Complete Illustrated Book Of Hatha Yoga’, by Swami Vishnu Devananda, has some excellent material.

‘Hatha Yoga’ by Theos Bernard contained a detailed breakdown of his extreme practice schedule. This is not suitable for those outside an ashram (in my view) but it should be read by all teachers. It also has some beautiful illustrations.

There is also a DVD, which I have not seen:

‘Yoga Tune-up’ by Jill Miller – http://www.jillmiller.com

Summary
——-

In this article I have looked at the feasibility of teaching nauli (yes, it is feasible, but has drawbacks compared to conventional asanas).

I have provided suggestions and references for the teacher, and have added some original material based on my own experiences,

1. Pattabhi Jois is adamant about not holding the breath (i.e. no kumbhaka) while doing āsana-s. Therefore — since nauli requires kumbhaka — more information needs to be acquired from someone who understands when & in which āsana-s it is (or is not) appropriate to perform nauli.

2. Pattabhi Jois has been very clear that young woman (i.e. those who are still able to bear children) should not practice nauli because nauli can damage the uterus.